Grate



Oct. 7, 1941. H. 1 bEcKl-:R

GRATE Filed Feb. l24, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR- BY m fw y ATToRNYs.

y Oct. 7, l94l. l l H. LQ DECKER 2,258,280

@RATE l Filed Feb. 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W1 TNESSES:

f I v INVENTOR; l ,Wk g HqrfyLec/r,

l By W WM, L i W ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 oFFIcE GRATE Harry L. Decker, Ardmore, Pa., assigner to yThe j Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Philadelphia, p Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania p p Appueang February 24, 1941i, senaiN. 380,275

' 7 claims. (c1. 12e-,168)

This invention in its broader aspects'has reference to grates and, more particularly, to the species commonly known as heavy-duty grates vsuch as included in locomotive fire-boxes, boiler 4ing means whereby the serial main units and the locking unit are interengaged at their contiguous ends; and a common carrier bar embodying lateral projections with a filler piece at one end and a projection at the other end, for lcoaction with a complemental projection on the locking unit in retaining the several units in mutual connection. Y, I

A further object is to furnish grate main and locking units of the referred to species embodying means, for coaction with the carrier bar lateral projections, whereby all of said units are normally interlocked against separation by forces tending to disconnectlthem during shaking of the grate as a whole.

Subsidiary objects have reference to structural relinements whereby the improved grate, hereafter more fully disclosed, is adapted for quick assembly andexpeditious removal of adamaged unit or units whenever desirable or expedient.

The above stated objects, with ancillary advantages, will be clearly apparent from the following detailed explanation of the selected embodiment thereof exemplified in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in all the views; while the concluding claims more particularly define `the features of novelty over the prior art.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a grate section embodying the instant improvements with a fragmentary portion of the associated bearing means.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal side elevation of the grate section and carrier bar removed from the bearing means, and having parts in section for a clearer understanding of structural details.

Fig. `3 is a lateral section viewedin the direction of the angled arrows III- III in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation viewed in the direction of the angled arrows IV-IV in Figs. l an 2.

Fig. 5 is a relatively reduced scale, longitudinal section taken approximately on the plane V in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the section carrier bar.

.for attachment of a conventional shaker rod I'I,

fFig. 7 is' a perspective View of one of the grate sectionmain units looking upwardly from below the same; and,

Fig. 8is a similar AView of the associated locking unit. I

In describing? the form of this invention exemplined in the two sheets of illustrative drawings herewith, speciiic terms will be employed for the sake of clarity, but it is to be understood the scope of said invention is not thereby limited; each such `term being intended to embrace all reasonable equivalents which perform the same function for an analogous purpose.

`Referring now with more particularity to the illustrated embodiment of this invention, agrate section is comprehensively designated .by the reference character I,1 it being' readily understood that the grate as a whole comprises an assembly of such units in juxtaposition for lateral support intermediate the conventional frame center and side bearers 2, 3, respectively, and, inasmuch as the sections I correspond, the following description will be restricted to a full explanation of one in order to obviate unnecessary repetitive matter. Each grate section I comprises a carrier bar 4, a plurality of rectangularly-contoured fuel-supporting main' units 5 and a locking units.

The carrier bar 4 is a longitudinal beam,` see Fig. 6, embodying at one end a transversely related up-setller piece Y'I and at the other enda similarly up-set hook section 8, said ller piece `and hook section respectively 'having axially aligned projections or trunnions 9, IIJ the former 9 of which being adapted for pivotal engagement in spaced recesses II provided for the purpose along the center bearer 2,` and the latter for invsertioninto similarly spaced holes I2 along the Vside bearers'3.

4thereto for a purpose later set forth. The carrier bar 4 also embodies an angularly directed arm I5 with a laterally related pin projection IS Fig. 5, in accordance with known practice; while the ller piece 'I is provided with frusto-conical shaped apertures I8, whereas the hook section 8 has a rounded lip I9 and an adjacent inclined abutment face 20.

Each main unit 5 is of hollow rectangular formation to include paralleling stepped walls 2l, 2| with intervening spacedwalls 22, 23 and relatively deeper buttressing walls 24, 25 having medially located cut-outs or notches 26 of a shape to seat on the carrier bar Il. It is to be particularly noted that the wall 23 is provided with outwardly directed lugs 21 flanking the notch 26 therein and including sloped faces 28 for coaction with the carrier bar projection inclined sides I4, as clearly understandable on an examination of Figs. 2 and 5; while the relatively remote wall 23 is of a depth to directly seat on top of the bar projection I3. The unit is formed across the upper face with parallel bar portions 29 and intervening air passages 36, while the wall ZI embodies one or more lugs 3l co-plan'ar with the bars 29, said lugs having the under faces 32 inclined to the horizontal for engagement in an aligned recess 33 in the opposing Wall. portion 23 Uof an adjoining unit 5, vor theller piece 1. It is to be noted that by extending the buttress walls 24, downwards, as shown, they jointly serve to protect the unit outward lugs 21 from forces introduced when shaking the section I and tending to cause misalignment or displacement by straddling coaction of the cut-outs 26 with the carrier bar Il.

The Vsmaller/locking unit 6 is similar in general Veffect mutual interlocking of all the units 5 and 6 tothe carrier bar Il.

The section units 5, A6 are assembled by commencing at the ller piece end of the carrier bar d, with placement of the main units 5 consecutively in straddling engagement thereon and sliding them to the left-hand as viewed in Figs. l, 2 and 5. In this position the lugs 21 of each unit 5 will be located below the carrier bar superjacent lateral projections I3; with the respective end lugs 3l in the recesses 33. When kthe last or outermost right-hand unit 5 has been applied to the carrier bar ll, the locking unit 6 is dropped vertically downward until it rests on said bar, whereupon it is moved to the right until the subjacent hook Sli thereon is located below the carrier bar hook section 8. Now it will be readily apparent that, the carrier bar lugs I3, unit vlugs 2l, and the locking faces 32, 33 being formed as described, they will gravitationally force the main units to the right and hold the locking unit hook 313 under the carrier bar hook section 8.

A damaged unit 5 may be readily replaced by y rst removing the locking unit 6, and shifting the main units to the right of said damaged one until the latter can be lifted from its position, in an obvious manner. In Fig. 2, the manner of appyling or lifting out a unit 5 is conventionally indicated in dot-and-dash lines, while 'the manner of re-locking the units after replacing a `self-evident the invention hereinbefore described r'nay be used in any type of furnace other than locomotive nre-boxes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: il. A grate section for furnacescoinprising a v-c"a`-`rrier bar with means Vfor pivotally Vsupporting it at opposite ends, and projecting lugs at intervals of its length; and a plurality of removable fuel supporting units in the form of perforated plates serially mounted on the carrier bar, said plates embodying vertically-spaced projections and aligned recesses on the opposite ends so that, when a carrier bar is aligned therewith, the projections and corresponding recesses of adjacent plates will engage and interlock with the laterally projecting lugs of the carrier bar.

2. A grate section according to claim l, wherein the lugs on the carrier bar are arranged in aligned pairs which project laterally from opposite sides of said bar; the fuel supporting units have bifurcated transverse Webs which t over the carrier bar; and wherein lugs on one of said Webs flanking the bifurcation thereof respectively engage beneath an aligned pair of the carrier bar lateral lugs.

3. A grate section according to claim l', wherein the carrier bar lugs have inclined faces for coaction with complementally inclined edges of projecting lugs on the respective fuel supporting units, such units each Vembodying other medially located lug means Aengageable in an aligned recess in the contiguous end of the adjoining unit, and said lug means have inclined underfaces coactive with comp-lementally inclined faces in the associated recess, whereby all of the units are interlocked for gravitation longitudinally of the carrier bar.

4. A grate section accord-ingto claim 1, wherein the spaced lugs for mutually interlocking the grate surface plates have their underface'inclined to the horizontal, and they seat in a common aligned recess at the contiguous end ofthe adjoining section. A

5. In a grate section of the type described, a carrier bar in the form of a longitudinal member embodying a transversely related up-set filler piece at one end an-d an up-set hook section at the other end, aligned trunnions projecting from the filler piece and hook section for pivotal lsupport of the carrier bar, laterally directed lugs flank the longitudinal member in spaced pairs, each said lug being of right-angled triangular section Ywith one of the sides including the ninetydegree angleco-planar with the top edge of said longitudinal member, and an angularly directed shaker arm projects 'downwards from the carrier bar.

' 6. In a grate section of the type described, a fuel supporting main unit of hollow rectangular formation with `spaced depending webs, `a medial cut-out in each said web 'for straddling coaction with the carrier bar for the section, outwardlydirected lugs flank the cut-out in one of lthe Webs, said lugs having the top 'fac'es'incl'ined with respect to the horizontal, -a medial lugco-planar with the upper surface of the unit at one end with an aligned complemental recess at the opposing end, and such lug and recess have similarly inclined lower faces.

7. In a grate section of the Atype described, a fuel supporting locking unit of 'rectangular formation with a dependingweb, said web having a medial cut-out for straddling engagement over the grate section carrier bar and outwardly directed lugs flank such cut-out at the open 'end thereof, a centrally located upper lug above the cut-out and an opposing recess at the other side ofthe unit, and `a superjacent "hook below the recess.

HARRY L. DECKER. 

